Chapter 3 - Hawkeye meets Endora

The "Secret Couple" had a lot to explain to one another. Both had seen the other do things over the course of that weekend that were frankly unbelievable. Hawkeye went first, a little bit nervous about Samantha's possible explanation.

"My name is Benjamin Franklin Pierce, also known as Hawkeye. I know, but I just needed to start from there. Anyway, I have been the guinea pig for some pretty rotten lowlifes. Me-and one other. Her name was Margaret-and she and I..."

Sam put her finger to Hawkeye's lips.

"Shh, my sweet. Her name was written all over your face when we met at the lodge last fall. You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."

"God, you are--special. Ok, ixnay on the Argretmay. But-as you saw, there were some side-effects-like the deaths of at least 200 other people from the same stuff. I mean, why me---and her? Why just us two?"

"Coincidence, I suppose." While Sam said this, her voice lacked all conviction, for she meant to say fate. But she was looking to become Hawkeye's fate, if she could, and so stuck with what she chose. Jack Scully would understand her feelings as reflecting his own.

"Well, the upshot is, in my life, I've seen a Dragon, traveled through time, and been bumped up in evolution. But one thing will always stay with me--the war. The War cost me friends, it cost me sleep, it even cost me my sanity once or twice. Now, unless you can use those gorgeous eyes of yours for mass hypnosis, I'd like to know how you dispersed that mob Friday Night."

Samantha gulped.

"I used magic, Hawkeye. I-am-a-witch."

"A witch?"

"You see, there have always been those of us who could just tap into magic, the way most do air or water. No demons to call on, and very few talismans overall. But we live apart, in a cloudlike dimension. What stays with me is the unchanging nature of it all. So static, never-moving. I had to get out-for my own sanity. I've done all those things you have-and more-but none of it is ever accomplished. It merely happens. I want life, Hawkeye, and I want living. I've found that-with you-and I want-even more."

Pierce's brow looked contemplative, then realization dawned. In his face, Sam saw that Hawkeye's other experiences had prepared him well for her news. She had a feeling, though, there were more questions coming, later.

"Oh, THAT 'even more'. Well, I was just hesitant to force you...you know, some guys saying, 'come up to my room', but it's not a request. I mean, for all I knew, you were a..."

Sam smiled in a such a way that Hawkeye went almost a full minute without thinking of Margaret.

"Hawkeye, I'm a few centuries old. What do you think I've seen-and done?"

Now Hawkeye smiled, and made Sam feel so lucky to have found him that night she fled her family.

"My Dad's at his practice all day, at the office in town. We're alone for the day."

"Hmm. Doctor, can you think of anything interesting that we might do to maybe pass this day along?"

"Well, let's just say between Korea on my part, and some decades on yours, this day could be quite interesting, Miss EndoraTochter."

"I think so. Say, did you mention slowed-down aging as a result of what was done to you?"

"Yeah. A day a year, more or less. Why?"

"Oh, it's just that we-my-people, if you will, go about a month for every year. Will you still want me when I'm old and grey?"

"Lady, you're gonna be old and grey by the time we're finished this afternoon."

Hawkeye's come-hither look almost had Samantha intoxicated.

"I do believe this will be a very interesting day."

And So It Was.

When Hawkeye awoke later, he felt giddy. What he felt for Margaret was deep and passionate, to be sure, but Sam had him feeling like he was in High School again. High School frolics, though, have their perils. One of those is the expertly-timed interrupting parent. It was Pierce's father's house, but the person who suddenly stood in front of him was not his father.

"I wish to speak with my Samantha! So you, CasaNova, may cool off in the Pacific!"

With that, the older woman gestured at Pierce. But he didn't go anywhere. Instead, the surprised intruder herself vanished.

"What the hell was that?"

A moment later, she reappeared-soaking wet. When Hawkeye chuckled at this, the woman actually hissed at him, and held up her very long nails. Hearing the commotion, Sam magicked herself dressed and came out-only to see her worst fear realized. Still, she tried to handle it with the humor that she so loved in Hawkeye.

"Well, Hawkeye, I see you've met my Mother. Mother, Hawkeye. Hawkeye, my Mother, Endora. I think you two are going to be great friends."

Samantha recieved a harsh stare from both her new boyfriend and newly arrived mother. She somewhat recoiled, but tried to hold her ground.

"Weeellll...."